Thursday, September 14, 2006

Hay Hay! It's Donna Day! #5

I've decided to recycle one of my favourite pizza combinations and use it in simple tart involving a sheet of puff pastry. It's hard to resist the combination of onions and potatoes. Here, I've slowly cooked Spanish onions with a couple of fillets of anchovies and fresh rosemary. It's then topped with wafer thin potato slices that have been drizzled in a little olive oil and rosemary. When it comes out of the oven, it's topped with rocket, adding freshness and bit of pepper to the final result.

Prepare the onion filling:Heat a little oil and butter in a pan and when the butter has dissolved add in the anchovy. Don't be put off by the anchovies - you don't end up with a fishy taste, they just dissolve and impart their special kind of saltiness to the dish - you won't need to salt the dish when you use the anchovies.

When they start to dissolve then add the onions and slowly cook them - you want them to caramelise and release their sugars - this should take about 15 minutes. Near the end add in the rosemary - you want to keep it's flavour fresh. Let this cool slightly before using.

Prepare the potatoes:The best way to achieve those wafer thin slices is by using a mandoline. If you don't have a mandoline or value your fingertips, then you can use a peeler to slice the potato. Place the slices into a small bowl, drizzle over with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly chopped rosemary. Mix well.

Prepare the base:Take your sheet of puff pastry and fold in the edge creating a one inch border all round. Prick the base to stop it from rising - leave the edge as you want this to puff around the filling.

Assemble the tart:Spoon the onions evenly over the base, keeping it off the folded edge. Top with rows of potato then grind over with a little black pepper. Brush the pastry with a little olive oil.

Cook in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through.

Cool slightly before topping with fresh rocket leaves.

This makes for a flavoursome lunch with a homey appeal - crisp flaky pastry combined with the sweet onions, the potatoes a mix of crunchy and soft and the rocket rounding it out and adding a bit of bite.